Asylum of the Birds

Description

In a world in which many photographers seek to avoid definition, Roger Ballen's photographs define themselves in their defiance of classification and genre: his world stands out as one of a kind. The black-and-white images featured in Asylum of the Birds were created exclusively within the confines of a house in a Johannesburg suburb, the location of which remains a guarded secret. The inhabitants of the house, both human and animal - including, most notably, the ever-present birds - are the cast of Ballen's world, performers amidst the theatrical interiors that they create and he orchestrates. The resulting images exist in a space between painting, drawing, installation and photography. They are timeless, psychologically powerful and masterfully composed.

Roger Ballen is one of the most important and distinctive art photographers working today. His previous books with Thames & Hudson include Asylum of the Birds, The Theatre of Apparitions and Ballenesque.

'Provocative, graphic, and unlike anything else you're likely to have seen' - British Journal of Photography 'Ballen is a true original who not only defies genres, but defines his own artistic space' - Hungry Eye 'A culmination of Ballen's previous works and a step further forward (or downward, if we use his analogy) in his exploration of the deepest, most confusing parts of his existence' - Daily Telegraph 'A truly unique artistic vision. Highly recommended' - Lens Culture